I just "inherited" the entire Mother Earth News collection!!

[diana_of_the_dunes]

I'm so excited, and I needed someone to share with...! Yesterday at work (I'm in law enforcement) I went to an elderly lady's house to take a theft report. I had to wait for dispatch to call me with some information for her, so we started chatting. She has nearly 30 acres, most of which she has dedicated to preserving wildlife habitat. It's woods, meadows, and ponds, and very beautiful. I complimented her on it, and told her that my husband and I are looking for something like that to raise our family on. We talked about how our county government has made it so easy for developers and difficult for individuals to aquire property. I told her that if she was ever interested in selling any of her property, I'd love to have it. I've never done anything like that before, and I was afraid she'd be offended, but then she started telling me about how she worries about what will happen to it once she's gone. Her husband passed away last fall, and her son, who lives out of town, has no interest in it. She has no other family. I gave her my card and phone number, and told her to keep me in mind.

I had to call her a little later with the info that dispatch gave (they were a little slow...). She said she was glad I had called back, and had I ever heard of Mother Earth News? Heard if it? I subscribe!! She has nearly every issue since #1, and she offered them to me!

So tomorrow, I'm going to pick up a library's worth of Mother Earth News!

[Denvergirlie]

Have fund reading thru all the old gems!

[Mama~Love]

Wow, how totally awesome!!! I'm sorry she had to deal with the theft, but what a great turn of events for you!

[Dillpicklechip]

Oh my gosh, what a wonderful, generous, awesome gift! Looks like you'll have some reading to do over the next little while!

I've heard that that magazine was better back in the early days, when there were less ads.

[mamadelbosque]

Congrats!! Thats absolutely amazing!! Should be intersting to see how its changed over the years :P

[laohaire]

I would be excited if I were you too (I'm a subscriber too)

[Linzie2]

That's wonderful!

[karne]

Very cool.

[mnnice]

My dad has some of the really old ones (issues in the single digits). I enjoyed reading them even as a small child. My dad used to complain that I would read them before he did.

Anyway what a great find and hopeful you also get a chance to develop a friendship with this woman too

[diana_of_the_dunes]

OMG, I dont' think I realized how many magazines 30 year's worth is!! I have 8 paper bags full, plus a rubbermaid tote. Yeek. I'm not going to need to go to the library for a LONG time!

I also hope we can be friends. She's very well-educated and travelled a lot, so she has lots of stories. Plus, we are both interested in homesteading and sustainable living. And since she has no family in the area, I feel sort of like I should try to take care of her. If it were my grandma, I'd be glad to know someone's looking in on her now and then.

DH and I have also decided that her property is not for us. It would be perfect... except that there are high voltage power lines running through. Call me silly, but electric lines scare me. Once I realized you can hear them buzzing from the middle of the parcel... No thanks.

[JessicaS]

How exciting!! I would be thrilled to get those magazines! You can get the DVDs with all the issues on them but it is so much more fun to flip through them and feel the paper.

[hildare]

the power line thing is scary. plus you have to allow the power company the right of way/ and to come onto the property whenever.

just a thought- i think that non-librarians can send things to be bound. you might be able to find a bindery to bind them so they don't fall apart. otherwise, you need to try to get some archival storage envelopes.

I heart Mother Earth News. That's a good score!!!

[BookGoddess]

That's such a find. I'm jealous!